Thrust bearing



July 15', 1924.

*l A. PfGEER THRUST BEARING `Filed Oct. lO

IN V EN TOR AI. Geer ATTO'RNEY same.

Patented July 15, 1924-.

TEN.

.ALBERT P. GEEK, 0F NEW' LONDON, CONNECTICUT.

THRUST BEARING.

Application led October 10, 1922. Serial No. 593,521.

T0 all whom t may concern: A

Be it known that I, ALBERT P. GEEK, citizen of the United States, and vresident of New London, in the county of New London and Stat-e of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in -Thrust Bearings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to thrust bearings for the horizontal propeller shafts of marine engines, and the main object is to provide a bearing which greatly decreases friction by eliminating an appreciable amount of longitudinal strain from the main bearing of the ship.

`Another object is to 'providev an auxiliary thrust bearing for a ship propeller shaft which ytakes up the end-wise pressure or thrust, and associate means'on the auxiliary thrust bearingcompensating for the amount of pressurebeing received while the ship is forging ahead, said pressure being variable within certain limits. Y

These and other objects will become apparent inv the description below, in which characters of reference referto like-named parts in the drawing.

Referring briefly to the drawing, Figure 1 is a top plan view ofthe auxiliary thrust bearing as applied to a propeller shaft.

VFigure2 is a side elevational view of the Figure 3 is an end elevational view of i Figure 2. 35

FigureY l 1s an enlarged sectional elevational viewv of one of the thrust compensating spindles. y

Figure 5 v's an enlarged sectional elevational view ofthe thrust' pressure absorbing rollers. f

Describing the drawing in detail, the nu' meral 1 indicates the bed ofthe main bearing whichV is secured to the frame work 2 ofthe ship by suitable means. Said base is of'substantial design so as to support the propeller shaft 3 with a minimum of vibration. The portion o f the shaft which is supported on the base'has a plurality of adjacentlyv formed annular flanges 4 thereon which ride in corresponding channels in the base, said flanges `preventing endwise or longitudinal displacement of the shaft. The base l'has caps 5 secured thereto by suitable bolts and prevent jumping of the shaft. The main bearing just described is generally used on all present day type of boats, and

after having been' in use for a short time I the ship.

This auxiliary bearing has for support means a pair of triangular pedestals 6 which are rigidly secured to the frame of the ship, and on both sides of the shaft. A. vertical projection 7 on each pedestal receives one `end of a horizontal spindle 8, the latter being threaded thruout its length and is secured in place by the nuts 9.

A relatively strong flange 10 is rigidly formed on the propeller shaft 3v beyond the extending ends of the spindles and the flat surface 11 thereon provides a rolling face for the fluted rollers 12v which have their peripheral surfaces slightly tapered, the fluting thereon being provided to present a grip surfaceV to the flange 10. These rollers, four in number, are mounted on a form of spider which has a central hub 13 from which. a plurality of short shafts 14 extend radially. The outer ends of said shafts are shouldered and receive the fluted rollers 12.

`Each of the latter are surmounted by a pair `shaft in which a collar 21 is pivotally vmounted on the trunnion pins22, the latter being on the vertical centre. Thisv collar is continually urged in the direction of the rollers by the tension of the expansion springs 28, the latter being mounted on the spindles 8. Said springs 23 aremounted on collars 2e which are continuations or projections of threaded adjusting nuts 25 and ball headedY slip nuts 26. The springs are mounted between each set of these nuts and are thereby prevented from injuring the threads ofthe spindle 8. The ball headed slip nuts fit into spherical recesses formed in the plate 20 and continually urge thelatter in the opposite direction.

A propeller shaft when rotating is subject to various strains both 'continual and intermittent. Vhen a ship is riding a smooth sea the forward thrust ofthe shaft is con- .the power saved is a great factor and should be carefully noted.

Assuming that the thrust is in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1, 4the shaft flange 10 will be displaced longitudinally, and in the same direction. The rollers 12 carried on the spider will be urged in the direction ofthe plate 20. The latter will fbe urged against the tension of the springs 23, which become stronger asthey are proportionately depressed. vThe initial tension of the springs 23 can be changed or varied by manipulation of the nuts 25. From the foregoing it is apparent that a ,greatamount of longitudinal thrust is taken yup by the auxiliary beari-ng.

It is to be noted that the rollers are mounted on the spider with a View toward decreasing the frictionalresistance to a minimum. QThe peripheral faces of said rollers aire tapered `toward the center of lshaft v3 Vcausing a tendency -of the rollers to shift radially outwardly after the lprinciple of centrifugal force. Vhen rotating -on the face of the ball races 14 the resultant friction will be decreased to a minimum by the balls 16. n This vinvention is a-n improvement `over a similar invention patented Aby 'the inventor on May 1,1900, No. 648,661.

Keys 27 are rigidly fiXed in the threaded s pi-ndles 8 and serve as a means for limiting the end-wise movement of the plate 20 Iand collar 21.

l. In combination with a shaft and main bearing therefor, an auxiliary 'thrust bearing comprising a pair of pedestals, threaded spindles, one end of each spindle being supported in said pedestals, the opposite ends of said spindles -being free, a plate member supported onsaid spindle, a large flange on the shaft adjacent said plate and means for absorbing 'the end-wise thrust of said sha/ft.

Z2. In combination with a shaft and main bearing therefor, said 'shaft having a heavy zontal threaded spindles, a plate supported on said spindles hav-ing a collar pivoted therein, nut members on said spindles, a

spring between the plate and nut members, said springs adapted to urge said plate and collar to-Ward the shaft flange, :a spider rotatably mounted kon .said shaft Ybetween ythe flange and the collar adapted to reduce endwise friction, iluted rollers rotatably mounted on said spider, the peripheries of said rollers being inclined, and means for reducing the frictional resistance to rotation of said rollers.

LIn combination with .a shaft and .main

bearing therefor, a ilange on said shaft, a plate member adjacent .said flange, a lcollar pivoted in said plate, a hub rotatable on radially spaced thereon, .rollers surmounting said rods and adapted to ride upon the surfaces presented by thellange and collar, springs adapted to urge said plate and collar .said shaft between the flange and collar, rods y A toward the rollers, means for varying the tension of said springs, means for reducing the frictional resistance to rotation of said rollers, and means for limiting the end-wise movement :of the collar.

5. In combination with a shaft and bear*V ing therefor a flange rigidv on said shaft, pedestals adjacent said shaft Yhaving horizontal threaded spindles, a plate supported on said spindles, a collar pivoted in said plate, .said shaft passing thru said collar,

nuts on said spindles, springs between the plate and nuts, said springs adapted yto urge said plate and collar toward the shaft flange, a spider rotatably mounted on said shaft between the flange and theI collar, lluted rollers mounted on radiatingends of said spider, nuts on the ends of said spider retaining the rollers in place, ball races mountedbetween the nuts Land the rollers,vadditional washers covering the upper vball race of each set and having recesses therein, springs mounted in said recesses adapted vto urge the upper ball races toward the rollers.

Signed` at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this f3rd day of October A. D. 1922.

ALBERT P. GEER. 

